Psalm 34
What is the best feast you have ever attended? Was it a special occasion? What kind of foods were there? Was there wine? What was the feeling in the room? Was there joy and dancing? How did it feel to be included? To experience the festivities?
Now imagine a feast that would put that one to shame. And you have been invited.
Psalm 34 is your invitation. It is a psalm of individual praise, but it is, first and foremost, an invitation to the feast of God’s goodness—to partake in his abundant provision and to worship him wholeheartedly.
Verses 1-3
“I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!”
The psalmist, perhaps David, begins right away with exuberant praise, his gratitude and joy in the Lord erupting from deep within him. He is passionate and resolved to give the Lord the praise due to him—blessing him at all times. But can we bless God? Isn’t he the one who blesses us?
The imagery of blessing in this verse is that of adoring on bended knee. According to the dictionary, when you adore someone, you regard them with esteem, love, and respect. It is to love intensely or deeply or to pay divine honor to. The psalmist reminds us that thanksgiving and praise show our love for and devotion to the Lord.
The psalmist is not a super saint. He is a garden variety human being just like the rest of us—prone to sin and all manner of things. But he loves the Lord with an intensity that is beautiful and compelling. He has seen and experienced God’s goodness and is unashamed to boast about it.
We tend to view boasting through a negative lens. Someone who boasts is loud, obnoxious, and braggadocious about their good fortune or accomplishments. In the original Hebrew, to boast is literally to shine. It is to rave in an undignified and foolish way. In this context, the psalmist isn’t bragging about his own victories or shrewd ways. Instead, he raves about God’s faithfulness, and he invites those who are humble—those who are weak, afflicted, and in need—to be encouraged by God’s goodness and to join him in praising the Lord.
There is something about coming together in community to share life's experiences—whether good or bad—that is sacred. It somehow enriches the experience and unites us with one another. It reminds me of times gathered with a body of believers, lifting our voices together. Sometimes, I am so struck I stop singing and listen. The voices are both one and many. Each voice carries their own story of joy and sorrow, affliction and redemption. But as many voices rise together as one, the sound reverberates, and my heart swells with the knowledge of God’s goodness. This is what the psalmist is inviting us to experience—to come together as a body of believers, each with a story of God’s faithfulness—and to join our voices together in praise.
Verses 4-7
“I sought the LORD and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, their faces shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.”
The psalmist now turns to share his own story with anyone who will listen. In a time of great trouble, he turned to the Lord. He knew his poor state; he wasn’t deceived into believing he could manage things on his own. He didn’t draw on his ingenuity, resources, allies, or military might. He turned to the Lord, who heard him and answered him.
In the middle of his story, the psalmist plants a rich, hope-filled promise: those who look to the Lord are radiant, and their faces will never be covered with shame. The Passion Translation says, “Gaze upon him, join your life with his, and joy will come. Your faces will glisten with glory. You’ll never wear that shame-face again.” Turning our faces toward the Lord is like turning our faces toward the sun, soaking in its glorious warming rays and walking away with a sun-kissed glow. When we set our eyes on the Lord, seeing him in all his goodness and glory, and receiving his invitation to us, no shadow of shame will darken our face. Instead, we will radiate God’s glory!
Toxic shame is an invasive and pervasive poison. It destroys and disables, silences and isolates. It can cause us to look away from rather than to God, to reject rather than accept his invitation. But those who look to the Lord as their creator and redeemer in their sin and shame will not ultimately wear the veil of shame. When we see the Father seeing us—clothed in Christ’s righteousness, holy, blameless, clean, and spotless—the veil of shame is lifted, and the radiance of being loved shines forth.
However, not all shame is bad and to be rejected. We should feel shame over our sin. It, too, is an invitation. In God’s hands, shame is a redemptive tool—an invitation to turn from lesser things and return to him. The psalmist refused to turn from the Lord in his time of sin, shame, and suffering. Instead, he turned to him, and the Lord rescued him. And the same God who answered the psalmist's cry stands guard over all those who turn to him, surrounding us with his protection and provision. This doesn't mean we won't face troubles, but it does assure us that we are not alone in them.
Verses 8-10
“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! The young lions suffer want and hunger, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.”
The psalmist once again erupts in praise. He has feasted at the Lord’s table, and he eagerly invites everyone else to the feast!
But what does it mean to taste and see? God is a veritable feast. He is merciful and gracious—rich sustenance for those who are aware of their sins. His justice and righteousness are vital nourishment for those who have been harmed. He is forgiving and compassionate—sweet wine for those whose consciences are tender. His faithfulness and lovingkindness are a cornucopia of delightful fruit.
Even the strongest of this world experience hunger. Their resources and their prowess will eventually leave them wanting. But God satisfies the needs of those who come to his table with empty hands and hungry hearts.
Verses 11-14
“Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you fear of the LORD. What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”
The psalmist, longing for everyone to join him at the feast, takes a fatherly tone, instructing us to fear the Lord and watch our speech. Jesus taught that what comes out of our mouths indicates what’s in our hearts (Matthew 15:17-19). When deceit, malice, and ill-will spill out of my mouth, it is often because I am full of envy, greed, bitterness, and discontent. But when I have spent time in the Lord’s presence and allowed his Spirit to fill me, the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control will flow from me. This is why the fear of the Lord precedes instruction in our speech.
While this is true, it is not always true of me and likely not always true of you. We can love the Lord deeply and still be sharp-tongued and short-tempered. But, even though they fail regularly, those who love the Lord and have experienced his goodness will intentionally and actively seek to do that which is good and to pursue the well-being of others.
Verses 15-22
“The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to the broken-hearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken. Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. The LORD redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.”
The psalmist continues to set the table for us, whetting our appetites with the comforting truths of God’s nearness. God is keenly aware of and attuned to those who are his. His eyes are on you. His ears are open to you. And he has promised to deliver you from all your troubles.
While these verses are very comforting, they don’t always feel true. We still struggle with sin. We still suffer betrayal, loss, sickness, financial insecurity, divorce, infertility, mental illness, and relational conflict. Wars, division, and senseless acts of violence fill our newsfeeds. And many days, it feels like there is no end in sight. But the presence of our struggles does not negate the truths of God’s word. We often succumb to an either-or mentality in a both-and world. Suffering is part of our present reality, and the psalmist is not blind to this. He suffered. But he also experienced deliverance. He cried out in anguish. But God also answered his cries.
The hope in this passage is twofold. First, our present hope isn’t in the absence of suffering but in the presence of the Lord. Suffering is inevitable in a world still under the influence of sin. But the promise we have is the Lord’s presence in it. He draws near. No matter how it may feel, we are not alone in our suffering and trials. He is Immanuel, God with us.
Second, the Lord redeems the lives of those who seek refuge in him. This is both our current reality and our future hope. We see the fulfillment of verse 22 in Christ. Jesus secured our redemption with his own blood. His righteousness has been transferred to us, and we are declared not guilty. Without accusation, fault, or blemish. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).
These rich truths enable Paul to confidently say that the sufferings of this present time are no comparison to the glory that will be revealed to us when we are finally at home with the Lord. Like the psalmist, Paul embraces the both-and of this life—a life marked by sin and suffering but defined by God’s redemption.
We still await this future grace, but until then, God has drawn near to us through his Spirit, who dwells in us! His Spirit prays for, comforts, and leads us, drawing us again and again to the table to feast on God’s abundant grace.
The table is set.
Come.
Find rest in his invitation.
Find comfort in his presence.
Find safety in his protection.
Find peace in his justice.
Be free of shame.
Be free from the fear of scarcity.
There is more than enough for you at his table.
Come.
Eat and enjoy the richest of foods.
Feast on God’s goodness.
Feast on his forgiveness.
Feast on his mercy.
Feast on his love.
Feast on his protection.
Feast on his joy.
Feast on his kindness.
Feast on his grace.
Come. Eat. Be satisfied.
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Love you guys,
CC
If you’d like to engage Psalm 34 further, take some time to work through the following exercises.
Engage the Scriptures
What is the source of the psalmist’s hope and joy? What evidence does he give for that?
What contrast does the psalmist draw between the righteous and the wicked?
Explore Your Story
Consider the imagery of God as a "veritable feast." Which aspect of God's character (mercy, justice, forgiveness, faithfulness) are you most hungry for right now? Why?
The passage assures us, "The LORD is near to the brokenhearted." How have you experienced God's presence during heartbreak or when your spirit felt crushed?
The article ends with an invitation to "Come. Eat. Be satisfied." What might it look like for you to more fully accept this invitation in your daily life? What obstacles might be keeping you from the table?
Encounter Jesus
Choose one of the aspects of God’s character you are hungry for from question 1 above and then spend some time reflecting on that attribute this week. You could choose from one of the ideas below or come up with your own.
Do a word study in the Scriptures. Use a tool like BibleGateway’s keyword search to find all the Scriptures related to this aspect of God’s character.
Write a prayer or psalm focusing on this aspect of God, expressing your hunger for it and praising God for this attribute.
Create a piece of art (drawing, painting, collage, etc.) that represents this attribute of God. Reflect on your creation and what it reveals about your understanding of God's character.
Choose a worship song that emphasizes this aspect of God. Listen to it daily for a week, meditating on the lyrics and how they speak to your spiritual hunger.
Practice embodying this characteristic in your own life for a week. For example, if you're drawn to God's mercy, look for ways to show mercy to others. Reflect on how this practice impacts your understanding of God's character.
Additional Resources:
A Woman’s Words: Getting to the Heart of Our Speech
A resource that explores the power of words, the heart of our words, and gives us a vision for words that lead to life.
Shame: Finding Freedom
A resource that delves into the universal issue of shame, how it affects us, and how Jesus frees us.
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